Pilates is named after its inventor, Joseph Humbertus Pilates, who was born in Germany in 1880. As a child he was very frail, suffering from various debilitating diseases. Rather than giving in to his poor health he was determined to lead a healthy life. As he grew older he took up different sports such as body building, wrestling, gymnastics, diving and skiing.
In 1912, at the age of 32, Pilates moved to the UK where he earned his living as a boxer and a circus performer.
When World War I broke out he was taken prisoner due to his German identity and interned on the Isle of Man. During his imprisonment he reconsidered his fitness routine, adapting his exercises for his fellow inmates.